President Cyril Ramaphosa says the people of Gaza are facing unfathomable human suffering as the conflict between Israel and Palestine continues.
This after South Africa’s latest approach to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) applying for the provisional measures set out for Israel in January to be strengthened in order to “prevent a catastrophic famine in the Gaza Strip”.
That application was filed on Wednesday.
READ | SA requests ICJ to act to prevent famine in Gaza
The President was speaking to the media on the side lines of the District Development Model (DDM) Presidential Imbizo held at Emalahleni in Mpumalanga on Thursday.
“We’re approaching the court once again because Israel has not been complying with the order that was issued by the court. So, we have seen it fit to approach the court on an urgent basis particularly with the view of addressing the challenges in the Rafah area where a few days ago 100 people were massacred.
“We want the court to take another decision on…how it addresses that and forestalls the occurrence of any other occurrence,” he said.
He added that the Palestinian people need the world to act now as starvation begins to set in.
“One other concerning thing is…[the] starvation which many organisations have been warning about has now arrived. People in Gaza are now starving.
“There is no food, there are no usual facilities like water and people are dying, especially young children are dying as a result of having no food. People have no food in their homes - that is why as delivery vans or trucks come, there’s scurrying for food.
“So, our action is aimed at also addressing that. The people of Palestine are really suffering, and the suffering is beyond human contemplation or understanding.
“The world has to do something hence we’ve called for an immediate ceasefire and a humanitarian one at that so that food and other supplies can come in. South Africa is determined to continue supporting the people of Palestine,” said the President. – SAnews.gov.za
